Early this year I put up a 180ft tower of Rohn 25G to be used only for
a 440 Mhz repeater vertical at the top and one run of 1 5/8" heliax.
Everything went up without any problems and it was erected by a
professional tower installer and everything followed the specs in the
Rohn 'bible' with the help of many local hams on the ground.
Today while a friend was on this tower to install a termporary side
arm at the first guy point he noticed something that caused him to get
off the tower and literally run away.
On the south tower leg below the first guy point (33') the leg has
split like a frozen water pipe 18" below the guy bracket for about 3
inches between one of the Z braces. 5' above the guy bracket there is
another split but that one is only 2 inches long between a Z brace.
The 3 inch split looks like it is still 'running' with the metal not
rusted.
About 3 weeks ago we had a good 50+ MPH wind here that took down one
commercial tower so that is probably when the damage occurred.
My question to the masses of Towertalk is if anyone has any
*temporary* solution. I am thinking of a sleeve and clamp arrangement.
NO, this tower *will* be coming down but any temporary arrangement
would be something to allow for the unstacking of the tower and
removal of the antenna and feedline in the spring at the latest.
What can be done now to minimize any continuing splitting of that
tower leg? What might of caused it.. guy tension problem?
The tower is located away from everything in the middle of a pasture
field and there is a 8x8' shed underneath the tower by the south tower
leg. Guy points are NW, NE and S.
Excuse me while I have another anxiety attack... ARGHH!
73 Al N9ISN
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Allan W. Schlaugat * APS #186089 * Albertville, WI USA
Amateur Radio: N9ISN * Member of the Lumber Cartel (tinlc) Member #1390
#33#33#33 WISCONSIN BADGERS 1999 Big Ten Football Champions #33#33#33
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